CN warns motorists: Trains being added to EJ&E lines
(The following story by Dan Campana appeared on the Joliet Herald-News website on February 4, 2009.)
CHICAGO Here they come.
Canadian National Railway officials Monday began notifying areas along its newly acquired tracks that four to six additional trains are expected to begin rolling through beginning March 4. It is the first step in what CN officials are calling a three-year process to shift their trains from the clogged Chicago rail system onto the suburban Elgin, Joliet & Eastern rail line.
Legal notices appeared in some newspapers and signs were posted at crossings affected by those trains Monday, one day after the company announced its purchase of 198 miles of EJ&E track had been completed.
"There should be signs out there right now," city of Aurora spokesman Amy Roth said of the city's crossings.
The reality of new train traffic comes after months of debate over the deal's value to the Chicago area. CN wanted to divert trains from lines inside Chicago to tracks stretching from northwest Indiana, through Aurora, to Chicago's northern suburbs. CN has long contended the move would help alleviate traffic congestion and make its freight system more efficient.
CN Vice President Karen Phillips said the rail company also plans to appoint a community liaison officer, whose job it will be to keep local towns up to speed on new developments along the tracks. CN plans roughly $100 million in track and infrastructure improvements over the next three years as well, Phillips said.
Opponents, including suburban coalition The Regional Answer to Canadian National, found more bad than good. Increased delays at area train crossings, diminished property values and a stifled quality of life were among TRAC's chief concerns. A legal attempt to block the sale from taking effect was turned down last month, but an appeal of the Surface Transportation Board's December approval in federal court is pending.
Roth said the city recognizes next month's rollout of additional trains is reality, but remains hopeful that it might not become permanent if the court eventually sides with TRAC.
This ought to be good. From what I hear, that mainline isn't even close to ready for the size of trains the CN runs. But, oh well, that hasn't stopped CN before. A few years ago we were running 10,000 foot trains and our sidings were mostly only 7000 feet.
Ready, fire, aim.
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